PAULSBORO, N.J. (CBS) — A 45-year-old South Jersey man is under arrest, charged with the murder last March of a 79-year-old woman.

Authorities say Samuel Davis broke into Thirza Sweeten’s Paulsboro home in the early morning hours of March 19th and beat her to death.

The elderly woman’s daughter discovered the body later that evening.

“Samuel Kevin Davis was arrested on unrelated charges the following day, which was March 20th,” says Gloucester County prosecutor Sean Dalton. “He remained in custody on the unrelated charge until he was charged with the murder of Mrs. Sweeten.”

Dalton says Davis was linked to the crime through forensic evidence taken from the scene. He apparently knew Mrs. Sweeten through her son.